MUSHROOMS

Evening Star, Issue 21518, 16 September 1933, Page 18

MUSHROOMS

GROWING WITHOUT MANURE Most of the plans for growing mushrooms involve manure. Not only is this ob-octional stuff to have about, but is very difficult to obtain. Where tho culture is carried on in a cellar tho following method is to bo strongly re-

commended. It will yield the best results in any place which is warm, dark, and moist. Light is not needed, seeing that mushrooms develop quite well in the dark. Get some wooden boxes in' anv convenient size, hut these should not be less than about Gin deep. In these put a layer of dead leaves, or straw if you can get it. Press this down well and let there bo about an inch of it. Then break up the pieces of mushroom spawn and place the pieces,- which should he about the size of the top of one’s thumb, close together over the leaves or straw. Cover the spawn with about 3)in of fine soil, which should be slightly moist. Put the boxes in their permanent position. Wherever the surface of the soil seems to be at all dry sprinkle with -water that has the chill taken off. Do not keep the soil in a wet state, however. In about a month or five weeks the mushrooms will start to appear. Sometimes it may be a little longer, as much depends upon the temperature of the place in whicli they are growing. If the directions given are carefully followed the crop will appear sooner or Inter, and once started the boxes will go on hearing for a long time.—Auckland ‘ Star.’